ARA News

For Immediate Release Contact: David Blank (202) 637-5275 • January 31, 2012 dblank@retiredamericans.org

Romney to Florida Seniors:

More False Promises, More False Claims

The following statement was issued today by Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans.

“Last night at a Florida senior center, presidential candidate Mitt Romney once again couldn’t stop himself from telling an audience what they wanted to hear – even if it wasn’t true.

“Romney told retirees, ‘we will never go after Medicare or Social Security,’ even though he supports the Ryan budget to give seniors small vouchers to buy coverage from private insurance companies; wants to raise the Social Security retirement age; and wants to let Wall Street gamble away – and profit from – privatized Social Security accounts. For a notoriously inconsistent politician, Mitt Romney has a long, clear record of wanting to privatize Social Security and Medicare.

“Two sentences later, Romney doubled-down with, ‘there's only one president in history that's cut Medicare $500 billion and that's Barack Obama. And guess what he did it for? He did it to pay for Obamacare.’ Romney failed to mention that President Obama extended the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by seven years by courageously standing up to the big insurance companies who were being subsidized by the taxpayers – at a cost of $1000 per year for each senior – to provide the same services that Medicare could do for 14 percent less.

“To Mitt Romney, Social Security and Medicare are just two more ways to pander to the crowd. But for millions of seniors, Social Security and Medicare are the lifelines that allow them to pay their bills and stay healthy. Seniors cannot let Mitt Romney hide from the truth on these important issues.”

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We should all be outraged about the

political games being played by House Republicans.

The Senate had an overwhelming bipartisan (89‐10) vote to continue the Payroll tax cut/Unemployment Insurance benefits for two months to allow further negotiations to proceed without threatening vulnerable people. On the House side, the Republican members overwhelmingly voted to reject the Senate’s approach – leaving only a few days before many important programs are set to expire. Programs affected include the Payroll tax and UI, as well as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child care subsidies for low‐income working families, Transitional Medicaid for families moving from welfare to work, and Medicaid subsidies to help low‐income seniors pay for Medicare Part B health coverage. What would make most sense is for Congress to pass clean one-year extensions of these programs without harmful restrictions. But at this point, the way to resume negotiating over one-year extensions is for the House to step back from the brink and agree to the two-month short-term measure.

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Don't let them get away with these political games.

Here’s how you can do something about this:

Write a letter-to-the-editor, op-ed, or blog. Click here for some sample letters-to-the-editor. Check your local paper in print or online for stories or opinion pieces and make them the hook for your letter or online comment.

Write a letter to your U.S. representative: Click here to ask them to extend unemployment insurance because it's a critical step in helping families and the economy.

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ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS PRESS RELEASE

Obama, Daniels Offer Stark Contrasts for Anxious Retirees

The following statement was issued today by Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans.

“President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels’ Republican response provided sharp contrasts for retirees who worry about paying their bills and staying healthy.

“President Obama advanced a bold, broad agenda to strengthen our economy and rebuild our nation, a plan rooted in core American values of fairness, equal opportunity, and honoring our commitments. While retirees’ working days may be over, we worry about our children and grandchildren, as well as the future of the industries we helped build here at home. We strongly support the President’s goal of tax fairness; call us ‘old school,’ but we still believe that sacrifices should be made fairly.

“In contrast, the Republicans showed their true colors by choosing as their spokesperson a governor who believes he can revive his state’s economy by lowering wages and benefits for working families. Mitch Daniels’ vague rhetoric on Social Security and Medicare glossed over the cold reality that his party – from its presidential candidates to its House Speaker – wants seniors to be at the mercy of the big insurance companies; would let Wall Street profit from a privatized Social Security; and would allow states to slash Medicaid, even though it is the only way 70 percent of Americans can afford long-term and nursing home care.

“During the heat of the 2012 campaign, it will be more important than ever for retirees – a heavily-targeted voting bloc – to be able to separate fact from fiction. To this end, the Alliance for Retired Americans will launch its largest grassroots mobilization ever, educating seniors on both the issues and where the candidates stand.”

Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans, Inc.